Braves hit 4 homers off Strasburg in 7-6 win

Braves hit 4 homers off Strasburg in 7-6 win

August 8th, 2014by Associated Press in Sports - Professional

Atlanta Braves' Freddie Freeman, right, is congratulated at home plate by Tommy La Stella after Freeman's two-run homer against the Washington Nationals during their game Friday, Aug. 8, 2014, in Atlanta.

Photo by
Associated Press
/Times Free Press.

ATLANTA - An eight-game losing streak was way too long for Atlanta Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez.

Justin Upton and Freddie Freeman hit two of Atlanta's four homers off Stephen Strasburg, and the Braves snapped their long skid with a 7-6 victory over the Washington Nationals on Friday night.

Rain delayed the game by 1 hour, 11 minutes in the middle of the sixth inning.

Atlanta, which nearly blew a 7-0 lead, moved within 3½ games of NL East-leading Washington. The Nationals, who had won two straight and four of six, have lost 21 of 30 against the Braves.

"After a rough road trip and an off day, it's nice to come back and win a ballgame that we needed," Upton said. "They're a good ballclub. We split with them the last time we played. It's good to jump out and get the first one."

Strasburg (8-10) gave up two more homers than his previous career high. He allowed seven runs, seven hits and two walks with nine strikeouts in five innings, dropping to 1-3 with a 6.99 ERA in seven starts at Turner Field.

Strasburg, who fell to 1-8 with a 5.25 ERA in 12 road starts this year, was coming off a dominating home performance against Philadelphia last Sunday, striking out 10, walking one and holding the Phillies scoreless for seven innings.

"Just not executing pitches - that's the bottom line," Strasburg said. "It feels good out of the hand, I'm just not hitting the spot well enough. I really don't know how to work on it. Some days I'm hitting the spot and some days I'm a couple inches up, so I've got to roll with it, try to miss down instead of miss up."

Ervin Santana (11-6) held the Nationals scoreless until the sixth, when Asdrubal Cabrera had an RBI single, and Anthony Rendon hit his 15th homer to make it 7-4.

Santana, who allowed four runs, four hits and two walks, struck out four in six innings and won his fourth straight decision.

Wilson Ramos' fifth homer and Cabrera's sacrifice fly cut Atlanta's lead to 7-6 off reliever Anthony Varvaro in the seventh.